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SkirtsAfire herArts Festival!

March 5 – 8, 2015 on 118th Ave

SkirtsAfire, HerArts Festival is a multidisciplinary arts festival showcasing the work of female artists in Edmonton. SkirtsAfire takes place March 5 – 8 in the heart of Alberta Avenue, an area that is reinventing itself as an Arts district in Edmonton. SkirtsAfire empowers, celebrates, develops, supports and showcases women in theatre and other art forms. Audiences and artists come together to present powerful and insightful stories to a diverse audience.

Job Posting: Production Assistant

The Production Assistant (PA) is a seasonal, entry-level position within the production team of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. This position is responsible for a variety of assigned tasks relating to the setup, operation and tear-down of the festival.

The PA reports directly to the Production Manager (PM) or, in their absence of the PM, the Assistant Production Manager.

This full time 6 week contract runs approximately June 11 to July 21, 2015. Applicants must be returning to full time post-secondary education in fall 2015.

Finding Space

In this workshop participants will look at the principles of “Found Space.” It is often considered the ‘fourth’ type of stage where a performance takes place in a non-traditional improvised or open space.

There is a large amount of growth, development, and opportunity in the Edmonton theatre community, specifically at the Edmonton Fringe Festival. Throughout the workshop participants will explore how to take advantage of these possibilities through functional scenarios presented by artists who make a living from this type of activity.

The workshop includes looking at creating work that lives outside of a traditional performance style including performing on buses, washrooms, in trees, in contrived structures in the middle of the street, etc.

Job Posting: Site Coordinator

Reporting to the Production Manager and working in tandem with the Assistant Managing Director and the Operations Coordinator, the Site Coordinator will be responsible for facilitating smooth operations, maintenance and safety of the Festival site. This includes overseeing the general custodial needs of the Amphitheatre, supervising proper site drainage/maintenance during inclement weather, supervision of patrons during performances with regards to the Concession, Beer and Merchandise tents, as well as assisting with setup of rentals for special on-site events during the Festival.

This full time 6 week contract runs approximately June 11 to July 21, 2015. Applicants must be returning to full time post-secondary education in fall 2015.

Developing a Creative Practice

This workshop will help participants understand their inner processes regarding creativity and to come up with a personal creative practice that is realistic and actionable. Arts institutions are hubs for communities of people who are interested in creativity and have some experience creating art as a child, student, or as an adult.

People recognize that art is valuable and have a desire to realize an artistic project of their own; however, find reasons not to. These reasons seem reasonable, and we believe them, but when examined they actually aren’t as solid as they initially appear.

The presenters will help participants navigate these reasons and unrecognized strengths as they guide them through an exploration of the Three Instincts: Survival, Procreation, and Worship – the basic human impulses we all have and relate to in different ways. At the end of the workshop participants will see their motivations in a new framework and create a plan to suit their strengths.

The workshop involves group work and partnered exercises. It does not involve the actual creation of art. No experience in any artistic discipline is required.

As part of this workshop, participants will attend TJ’s performance,Marathon, running April 17 & 18, 2015 at the ATB Financial Arts Barns. More on Marathon (PDF)

TJ’s newest monologue, Marathon, is about having been a poor long distance runner in high school, and about an aspect of the personality type system; The Enneagram.

TJ DAWE TJ Dawe is a writer, performer and director of new theatre, whose award-winning monologues have been presented at more than one hundred theatre festivals around the world. He has led workshops on storytelling and on developing original theatre, and will soon teach a course on solo shows at Langara College in Vancouver.

ENROLLMENT FEE: $100 +GST (includes 1 ticket to the performance of Marathon on either April 17, 2015 or April 18, 2015.) Limited Capacity.

Job Posting: Wardrobe Assistant

The Wardrobe Assistant is a seasonal student position within the production team of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. This position serves as a shop assistant during the build phase of the Festival, and as the Wardrobe Running position during the run of the Festival.

The Wardrobe Assistant reports directly to the Head of Wardrobe. During the Festival, the Wardrobe Assistant will report to the Production Manager or the Assistant Production Manager.

This 10 week contract runs May 14 to July 22, 2015. Applicants must be returning to full time post-secondary education in fall 2015.

The Artery – one of Edmonton’s downtown music venues often used for indie theatre presentation and a Nextfest venue – will be closed on March 31st, 2015. Within the same week, Theatre Network has announced that it will temporarily move in to the C103 theatre space for the 2015/2016 theatre season.

The Artery has been owned and operated by Phil Munz since 2012. On Wednesday, February 25th, he was informed by the City of Edmonton that the building was no longer considered structurally sound and would be forced to close in approximately six weeks. The venue has a capacity of nearly 150 people and is located on Jasper Avenue (downtown).

Meanwhile, Edmonton’s Theatre Network – which suddenly lost its own home venue, the historic Roxy Theatre, by fire in January – has announced that it will temporarily move into C103, Catalyst Theatre’s soon-to-be former space for the 2015/2016 theatre season. (Click here for our news post about the fire.) Theatre Network notes that it continues to investigate options into rebuilding the Roxy Theatre, but will move into C103 on a temporary basis during that process. Catalyst Theatre will be moving to its new home, the Maclab Stage in the Citadel Theatre, in September 2015. (Click here for our news post about the upcoming move.)

Theatre Network has been able to present the entirity of its 40th anniversary season thanks to support from Eastglen High School (which hosted Famous Puppet Death Scenes by the Old Trout Puppet Workshop) and the new Backstage Theatre in the ATB Arts Barns (which will host the remainder of the 2014/2015 season). Theatre Network was able to present utilize the Backstage Theatre thanks to a unique partnership with Fringe Theatre Adventures and the Varscona Theatre Alliance, which itself will move into the Backstage Theatre for the 2015/2016 season while the Varscona Theatre undergoes its own rebuild. (Click here for our news post about this partnership.)

On January 23, 2015, the Artery hosted a fundraiser for Theatre Network to support the company after the loss of the Roxy. During the event, Mary Pinkoski, Poet Laureate for the City of Edmonton (2013 – 2015) shared a new poem commemorating the Roxy Theatre entitled “The way a curtain opens and closes and opens again.” Considering the speed of which these events have occured over the last two months, we thought it would be appropriate to share her poem here (with the poet’s permission).

Don’t miss you chance to check out the uber-talented Neil James as Woody/ Pinocchio in Birnton Theatricals inaugural production for a grown up audience. This amazing script, by playwright Michael MacLean, tells the story of what happens to Pinocchio after the story we are all familiar with. Sometimes becoming a real boy is just the beginning. This production is full of laughter and heart and will take you on a great adventure.

Directed by Birnton Theatricals’ own Chris Stockton with lighting design by Tuled Giovanazzi. Woody is stage managed by none other than Meg Thatcher

Running for one week only in Motel at the Arts Commons (formerly Epcor Centre) this show is a must see for the child in all of us, who has a little bit of a dirty mind

Email us at tickets@birntontheatricals.com to make sure you reserve your seat. Tickets are $15. Shows are at 8pm Weds. March 4- Sat. March 7 with an additional matinee on Saturday March 7 at 2pm.

tagg#d

Torn from the headlines, an intense examination of social media and online accountability Where do we draw the line between fun and maliciousness in an anonymous online world? As an Officer investigates two young adults in the incessant online harassment of a fellow student, not all is as it appears to be. Do they actually understand the consequences of their actions? How responsible are we for the words that we type and what they lead others to do? Produced by Green Thumb Theatre

Yesterday Allie was just a normal kid, but today she’s headed into outer space! With the help of her trusty talking dog Captain Chaos and Rover the Dancing Robot from Mars, Allie’s on a mission across the solar system to save Earth, and maybe learn some things about science along the way. But she’d better be home in time for dinner! Grab your space suit and get ready for an adventure that’s out of this world!

Did you see I waved? I believe in you and God so tell me that I’m saved.

Against the backdrop of corporate America and the Occupy Wall Street movement, the story of a social and political rebel in a time of turmoil rings true again. What better way to tell that story than to use a parallel of contemporary celebrity worship that the western world is very familiar with.

What then to do about this Jesus-mania? Miracle wonder-man – hero of fools. No riots, no army, no fighting, no slogans –one thing to say for him, Jesus is cool.

As Jesus’ radical teachings are evermore embraced, Judas increasingly questions the enlightened motives of this new prophet, resulting in betrayal. Christ’s final days are dramatized with emotional intensity and thought-provoking edge, propelled by a stirring score that is by turns driving and majestic, satirical and tender to illuminate the transcendent power of the human spirit with a passion that goes straight to the heart.

If you’d come today you would have reached a whole nation.

Jesus Christ Superstar contains content that may not be appropriate for younger audiences (parental guidance recommended)

Martha Cohen, the Calgary philanthropist for whom the Martha Cohen Theatre in Arts Commons is named, passed away in February.

Theatre Alberta wishes our deepest condolences to members of her family, her friends, and the many arts organizations and charities that benefitted from her tireless work to improve the quality of life in Calgary.

Join us in the research of breath, body, presence, action and the robust rhetoric of Shakespeare. Participants ranging from advanced students to senior professionals will develop and refine skills to enliven their practices. The program provides a rare and unique pedagogical training ground for voice teachers and teachers-in-training who with to deepen their understanding of the multidisciplinary approach.

4-week program May 17 to June 13, 2015 $2,150.00 plus applicable taxes

3-week program May 25 to June 13, 2015 $1,450.00 plus applicable taxes

Are you terrified of improvising? Have you had a bad experience in the past? Have you never, ever, ever had any improv training? Then you will love this workshop. Karen will keep you safe and secure, and cuddle you through some beginner/basic improv. She really CAN take the pressure off; lots of great group work where you can learn technique without the stress of ‘performing-for-others-and-oh-what-if-I-don’t-make everyone laugh?!”. Take some tentative baby steps with Karen, while she holds your hand. And remember, Karen spends a lot of her year teaching grade school students, which means everyone gets a ribbon at the end! WHO’S a good improviser?…..WHO’s a good improviser! YOU ARE! Yes you are! Oh yes you are!

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS! We are searching for volunteers to help us make the Marchday! Cabaret! Happen!

We need volunteers for both Friday March 6 and Saturday March 7 2015.

What’s in it for you? If you graciously volunteer your time to help us out on the evening of Friday March 6 we will provide:

• Our eternal love and gratitude • Friendship • Pizza! • Promo for whatever you have going on that you’d like us to tell people about • A COMP TICKET TO THE MARCHDAY! CABARET! the following night! AND • Access to a Marchday! Cabaret! ARTIST PASS which grants all sorts of great things to the artists (Even cheaper drinks and discounted raffle tickets!)

If you graciously volunteer your time to help us out on Saturday March 7 doing such awesome tasks as Front of House/Ushering and/or set up during the day we will provide:

• Our eternal love and gratitude • Friendship • Pizza! • Promo for whatever you have going on that you’d like us to tell people about • Free admission into the cabaret (because you’ll be there) AND • Access to a Marchday! Cabaret! ARTIST PASS which grants all sorts of great things to the artists (Even cheaper drinks and discounted raffle tickets!)

If you’re interested, drop Carly a line at CARLY@THEATRETRANSIT.CA and we will get you all hooked up.